Abstract: A computer chassis has an exterior wall on the inner side of which a metal EMI shield wall is mounted, the shield wall having a grounding portion that projects outwardly through the chassis wall. A selected one of a plurality of circuit boards may be operatively installed within the chassis, the circuit boards having mutually different through-chassis component connection access opening requirements. Circuit board component connection access openings are formed through the exterior chassis and EMI shield walls to accommodate the circuit board having the maximum access opening requirement. To modify the effective chassis connection opening pattern as required for the other circuit boards, without having to redesign the chassis for each of the other circuit boards, a plurality of metal cover grounding plates are provided. Each of the plates is associated with one of the circuit boards and has connection openings formed therein to match the chassis opening requirements of the associated circuit board.

Abstract: A printed circuit board is mounted on the inner side of a conductively coated plastic computer housing wall using a screwless retention and grounding system molded integrally with the housing wall and including a spaced series of upstanding hook plate portions extendable through a series of elongated slots in the circuit board body and positioned in spaced, facing relationships with corresponding contact tab portions. The board is releasably mounted by pressing it inwardly against the tabs in a manner causing the hook plates to extend through the board slots, and causing the board to depress a resilient latch member formed on the housing wall. The board is then slid along the tabs until the latch pops up and releasably locks the board to the contact tabs with the outer ends of the hook plates overlying the board.

Abstract: Using a relatively simple four piece conversion kit consisting of a replacement control bracket, and vertically enlarged top housing portion, drive bay and expansion card cage replacement structures, a relatively small frame personal desktop computer is converted to a larger frame computer having upgraded expansion card and drive installation capacities. The upgrading process is effected simply by removing the existing top housing portion, drive bay, expansion card cage and control panel bracket, installing the replacement drive bay, expansion card cage and control panel bracket on the existing bottom side portion of the computer, and then operatively connecting the vertically enlarged top housing portion to the existing housing base wall. Other than the four components of the conversion kit, all of the components in the original computer are reused in the resulting upgraded computer.

Abstract: A desktop computer is provided with an expansion card/riser card module which includes a housing within which a riser card and a plurality of associated expansion cards are removably supported and electrically coupled to one another. The module, and thus the riser and expansion cards it carries, may be quickly and operatively coupled to the computer motherboard simply by pushing the module housing downwardly onto the board in a manner matingly inserting a connection edge portion of the housing-supported riser card into a corresponding motherboard connection socket. The module may be quickly removed from the motherboard simply by pulling upwardly on the module to disconnect the riser card from the motherboard socket. In an alternate embodiment of the module, this disconnection is facilitated by a leveraged removal latch structure carried by the module housing and forcibly engageable with the motherboard to lift the module upwardly therefrom.

Abstract: A digital computer system has a lock hold-down assembly for security. The assembly is secured at a standard expansion card slot in the computer unit, and includes a bracket mounted inside the unit, accessible through the slot. In the preferred embodiment, the bracket has an integral flange with an aperture therethrough and a plurality of tabs. A cover member has a plurality of hooks for engaging the plurality of tabs through the slot. The cover member also has a cable enclosure through which the power cable and peripheral cables may be run. The cover member further has an integral flange with an aperture therethrough. A lock is placed through both apertures, thereby securing the unit and cables to the lock. The lock is anchored as desired.